The state will need to reform its antiquated tax code, warily approach bond measures that tie the hands of policymakers, and get serious about spending oversight.
More than 8.3 million minimum-wage workers got a pay raise Jan. 1, marking the largest single-day wave of state minimum wage increases.
Despite being the nation’s largest full-time legislature, divided government and a budget impasse have sharply limited output.
Improved reserves and investor confidence mask long-term challenges tied to pensions and constrained revenue growth.
Texas cities and counties already face limits on how much revenue they can generate. Local leaders have warned that further restrictions would mean fewer services like parks and libraries.
The state employed disciplined budgeting, debt repayment, spending cuts and targeted tax relief to dig itself out of a cash-flow crisis. To deal with crushing national debt, Washington policymakers should model this discipline.
Success in the coming years will require sustainability, adaptation and perseverance, especially as AI both enhances and disrupts government. Professional leaders need to look beyond the short term, facilitate change where needed, and reinvent themselves.
Over 2,100 schools in 26 states have adopted shorter weeks, mostly in rural districts seeking teacher retention and budget relief.
Program and tax changes in the massive budget reconciliation bill are reshaping states’ short- and long-term fiscal pictures. How will policymakers respond?
State and local financial managers face the impact of federal aid cutbacks, plus new rules and even some opportunities. It’s time to focus on what’s practical and necessary, both near and longer term.
Florida, meanwhile, gains one every two minutes. New data shows how population shifts are reshaping budgets and tax bases nationwide.
Reduced revenues and rising costs leave municipalities tightening their budgets, per a new National League of Cities report.
The state’s projected budget deficit for fiscal year 2026 has increased to $58.3 million. Idaho’s constitution prevents it from running a budget deficit.
City officials won state approval to sell $125 million in short-term bonds to cover payroll for nearly 5,000 workers through the end of the year.
Conservatives backed criminal justice reforms in hopes of driving down corrections costs and state budgets. A lot of violent and repeat offenders would have to be released to achieve real savings.
It’s not yet clear how much financial support states can expect from a reimagined FEMA. A new analysis of past costs sheds light on the gaps they might have to fill.
Most Read
